Antibodies against calcium-regulating hormones in infectious-allergic forms of bronchial asthma

Antibodies to calcitonin, parathyroid hormone and cortisol are detected in acute stage of infection-caused bronchial asthma. The appearance of antibodies is paralleled by marked hypercalcaemia. The antibodies may bind excessive hormones in the blood, preventing further hormonal imbalance. Ten-day treatment with glucocorticoids decreased the amount of antibodies possibly due to normalization of hormonal secretion and restoration of their balance. As a result, calcium blood levels returned to normal.     

The systematic approach to describing conformational rearrangements in G-quadruplexes

Conformational changes in DNA G-quadruplex (GQ)-forming regions affect genome function and, thus, compose an interesting research topic. Computer modelling may yield insight into quadruplex folding and rearrangement, particularly molecular dynamics simulations. Here, we show that specific parameters, which are distinct from those commonly used in DNA conformational analyses, must be introduced for adequate interpretation and, most importantly, convenient visual representation of the quadruplex modelling results. We report a set of parameters that comprehensively and systematically describe GQ geometry in dynamics. The parameters include those related to quartet planarity, quadruplex twist, and quartet stacking; they are used to quantitatively characterise various types of quadruplexes and rearrangements, such as quartet distortion/disruption or deviation/bulging of a single nucleotide from the quartet plane. Our approach to describing conformational changes in quadruplexes using the new parameters is exemplified by telomeric quadruplex rearrangement, and the benefits of applying this approach to analyse other structures are discussed.     

Effect of trehalose on the phase properties of hydrated and lyophilized dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine multilayers

The structure and thermal behavior of hydrated and lyophilized dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) multilayers in the presence of trehalose were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction methods. Trehalose enters the aqueous space between hydrated bilayers and increases the interbilayer separation (from 0.36 to 1.37 nm in the different DPPC phases at 1 M trehalose). It does not affect the lipid chain packing and also the slow isothermal conversion at 4 degrees C of the metastable L beta' phase into the equilibrium crystalline Lc phase. Addition of trehalose leads to a slight upward shift (about 1 degrees C at 1 M trehalose) of the three phase transitions (sub-, pre-, and main transition) in fully hydrated DPPC while their other properties (enthalpy, excess specific heat, and transition width) remain unchanged. The effect of trehalose on the thermal behavior of DPPC multilayers freeze-dried from an initially completely hydrated state is qualitatively similar to that of water. These data support the "water replacement" hypothesis about trehalose action. It is suggested that trehalose prevents the formation of direct interbilayer hydrogen bonds in states of low hydration.     

云南所麻蝇属一新种记述：双翅目：麻蝇科

作者在整理1985年采集的麻蝇科标本中,发现所麻蝇属(SarcosolomoniaBaranov)1新种。模式标本分别保存于云南省卫生防疫站和军事医学科学院微生物流行病研究所。     

Histoenzymatic activity of the delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase of ovary in hibernators (Citellus citellus L)

The ovaries of 24 ground squirrels (Citellus citellus L) were studied in spring (March, April), summer (July), and winter (December). The animals hibernated in a chamber at a temperature of 6-8 degrees C. The activities of the interstitial gland, theca interna, atretic follicles with theca interna and yellow bodies were measured densitometrically and studied by a specially modified histoenzymatic technique. Measurements showed that the endocrine structures were most active in March and least active in July. The atretic follicles had the highest enzymatic activity in April. The quantitative histoenzymatic approach presents an objective base for morphofunctional studies of organs and tissues at different body temperature levels in hibernators.     

横断山齿突蟾属一新种(两栖纲:锄足蟾科)

1982年在横断山区考察期间,发现四川木里截族自治县的齿突蟾Scutiger标本在第二性征、趾蹼等特征与已知的各种齿突蟾均不相同,描述为新种木里齿突蟾Scutiger muliensis。     

齿突蟾属某些种的多态现象

本文报道某些锄足蟾科Pelobatidae动物的多态现象。讨论了同域或不同域的四种齿突蟾Scuti-ger,即刺胸齿突蟾S. mammatus(Guenther)、胸腺齿突蟾S. glandulatus(Liu)、木里齿突蟾S. mulicnsis Fei et Ye和皱纹齿突蟾S. ruginosus Zhao et jiang的皮肤瘰疣、第二性征等性状;用薄层等电聚焦电泳方法分析了同域三种齿突蟾的晶体蛋白。结果表明:前三种是有效种;后一种,即皱纹齿突蟾分别是前三种的多态性变体;这些变体以相同性状(即皮肤多瘭疣)同时表现在三个种中的现象,属于平行多态现象。     

环状RNA在肝细胞癌中的作用及机制

肝细胞癌（hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC）治疗困难、预后很差,是肿瘤相关死亡中的第4大癌症,严重危害人类生命健康,但其具体发病机制却仍未完全阐明。因此,探索能调控肝细胞癌发生发展,作为肝细胞癌的诊断标志物或能预测患者预后的关键分子仍十分必要。环状RNA是前体mRNA通过反向剪接产生的由3′, 5′ 磷酸二酯键首尾连接形成的共价闭合环状结构,主要有外显子circRNA（exonic circRNA,ecircRNA）、环状内含子RNA（circular intronic RNA,ciRNA）及外显子 内含子circRNA（exon-intron circRNA,EIciRNA）三大类。由于环状RNA具有普遍性、高度保守性和稳定性,其可以参与多种癌症的发生发展过程,并且可作为肿瘤的早期诊断标志物及预后因子,因此,这是一类新型且非常有潜力应用于临床诊治各阶段的分子。近年来,有大量关于环状RNA与肝细胞癌的研究。这些研究表明,环状RNA在肝细胞癌发生发展进程中发挥的作用十分重要,并且其机制多样。因此,本文主要关注环状RNA在肝细胞癌中的最新进展,总结不同环状RNA分子对于肝细胞癌细胞恶性表型、肿瘤干细胞及肿瘤微环境中免疫细胞的作用,以及其在肝细胞癌临床转移、分期、诊断、预后等各阶段中发挥的功能及其具体作用机制。此外,本文还提出了目前研究中存在的一些问题和不足,以期为未来的研究提供一些新的思路及策略。